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GAR GOUPLING- Patented Apr. 11,1885.`

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5 i l GAR GOUPLING. l No. 315,495. Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

. UNITED STATESl PATENT OFFICE..

JOHN GOETTEL, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, AND VILLIAM F. HOWE, OF

CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,495, dated April 14, 188.

Application nieu April 14,1884. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern."

Be it known that we, JOHN GoETTEL, of St. Paul, Ramsey county, Minnesota, and WIL- LIAIvI F. Howie, of Chicago, Cook county, 111inois, citizens of the United States, have nvented certain new and useful Improvement-s in Oar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, to wit: y

This invention relates to car-couplings; and it consists in the combination,with a pivoted or swinging coupling-hook, of a movable guard and lock adapted to admit of the cars being automatically coupled, and to lock them together after coupling, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which our invention appertains to make and use the same, we will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of Y a draw-head and coupler such as we shall describe. Fig. 2 is a view of the guard; Fig. 3, a plan view in an open or uncoupled posi- Fig. 4 is a horizontal section of our coupler in a closed position. Figs. 5 and 6 are views of a modification showing a slightly different arrangement of the parts. Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 are views of a second modification, having-the guard and coupling-hook independent of each other,but locked in a man- Y tail, C, which extends back within the head ner similar to that shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 11 and 12 represent the guard and lock pivoted to swing around a longitudinal pivot in the center of the draw-bar. Figs. 13 and 14 represent the guard and lock separately secured upon the ends of a rock-shaft upon the drawhead; and Figs. 15, 16, 17, and 18 represent the guard and lock in one piece, and having both a swinging and a sliding movement upon a vertical pivot, as will be 4clearly explaine hereinafter.

A represents the draw-head and its shank or bar, which forms the frame or incasement for the coupling devices. Inthe forward end of the draw-head is pivoted bya bolt, ,the coupling-hookB, having a rear extension or A, as fully seen in Figs. 1 and 4. The forward or coupling end of the hook B is preferablylformed with notches or slots for the reception of an ordinary link, and a hole, t', for the coupling-pin,which enables this coupler to be used also in connection with cars having the ordinary link-coupler. The peculiar shape of 5 the hook also enables it to receive the shock from an approaching car squarely, and without any tendency to strain the parts, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. Vhile in a direct i l pull the hooked couplers of two cars would be likely to maintain their proper positions, so

long as their rear ends were confined, in turn-1 l l l ing curves the hooks would be liable to be disengaged, with very serious results, and to prevent this we provide the guard D, which in-Figs. 1 to 4 is shownas plate or arm, having its outer end bent or formed at right angles to its 'main portion and extending alongside the draw-head behind the hook of the adjoining car, as in Fig. 4, thereby confining this hook and effectually preventing its displacement. tends across the draw-head and has aforked or bifurcated end, which receives and is pivoted to the tail of the hook O bya bolt p. The inner forked end of this guard, when forced back to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, is held from being displaced by a latch, e, which is pivoted atmJ Within the draw-bar, and is lifted by means of a cord or chain, o, either extending to the top of the car-body or The main portion of the guard D exconnected to a lever, Z, and operated from the side of thecar, as may be most convenient. This latch drops into a notch in the end of the guard and alongside the tail O of the hook,

ward and the hook inward till the tail of the hook (which is beveled, asin Fig. 2) passes under the latch, which then drops linto place and locks the whole firmly,` the guard lying closely against the back of the engaging hook 85 and lthus locks both of them from movement and preventing any swaying of the cars or sharp curves from disengaging it, as will be evident, while the hinging or pivoting of the guard enables it to be drawn back readily to give ample room for coupling and uncoupling the hooks.

To prevent the guard from being drawn out too far and guide it in its movement,we provide a slotted link, t, having one end attached to the draw-head and the other connected with a lug and pin'on the guard, which is thereby conned and guided, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

It is evident the guard and hook move together, and that more or less movement may be given them as their connecting-pivot p is moved nearer to or farther from the main pivot a of the hook.

In case the momentum of the swinging hook and guard in the act of coupling should not be sufficient to force them entirely back to place and allow the latch tofall, or incase the same result should occur by reason of coupling upon a sharp curve, or from other causes, we provide the inner side of the tail C of the hook B with a flat spring, b, the end of which is curved outward from the part C,

and while yielding freely to the approach of the adjoining hook, should it couple properly, this spring, it will be seen in cases similar to the above, reacts from contact with the face of thek coupling-hook and forets the parts Gand D back to place, thus permitting the' latch-to drop and lock the whole securely.

It is evident that the automatic swinging guard and lock or latch may be changed somewhat without departing from the spirit of our invention. Thus in Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a modification in which the guardv D is formed with an arm or handle corresponding to the lever ,of the form already described,

- which arm extends to the side of the car in a guide, s, as shown, and the chain or cord 0 is attached to it. The guard is pivoted to the part C, as before, and the hole through which the pivot passes is rather larger than the pin, in order to leave the outer end of the guard free to be lifted slightly. The under side of the guard D is formed with a beveled lug or projection, k, which engages with a similar lug, q, on the draw-head A and prevents the devices from being swung out ti-ll the guard is lifted to disengage it. The operation is the same as already described, and when the guard is locked by its lug its Weight and the strain of the cars will prevent its being accidentally freed, while both the lugs being beveled on their rear sides enables the device to be swung inward without difficulty.

In Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10 the hook B C and guard D are shown as independently pivoted in the draw-head. The guard is pivoted atf, and when swung in, the tail C of the couplinghook turns in against its end g and holds it `stood from the drawings.

firmly, while the beveled end h of the part C lifts and passes under the end of the latch e, which drops down behind it and locks it closed. The latch e has an arm, c, extending under the draw-head and engaging with a bar or lever, d, by which it is lifted and the cars uncoupled. The operation of this form is ob* vious.

In Figs. 15, 16, 17, and 18 the guard is represented as pivoted at f, as just described, but in this case it is also free to slide vertically y upon its pivotal rod, and thereby act as a latch and guard in one, its inner end dropping into a recess or notch in the end of the tail O of the hook, and when lifted upon its pivot the hook is free to swing past it, and the guard swings y out as before.

The draw-head A is formed with a lug, u, near the pivot f, and the guard D with a corresponding lug, o, which, when the guard is lifted and swung, passes over and rests upon the projection u, and prevents the guard from falling till entirely closed', while permitting it to turn freely on its pivot. It is not necessary that the guard should be so pivoted as to have a horizontal movement about its pivotal point, and a variation of this is shown in Figs. 11 and 12, where the guard is pivoted upon a rod running longitudinally through the center of the drawhead and its bar or shank. The inner end of the guard is formed with a lug, g, which, when the device is closed or coupled, engages the end of the tail-piece() and prevents its swinging. TWhen the guard is turned upon its pivot j, the tail C is free to swing out overthe lug g,and the guard may be held in this position by a pawl, m, f hinged upon the draw-head andengaging a notch or lug on the guard, as in Fig. 11.

In Figs. 13 and 14 the rod f is extended transversely across the draw-head, and upon one end is secured the guard D, and upon the other a pawl or latch, e, which engages and locks the tail C of the hook, as will be under- In all these cases it will be observed that the coupling-hook B C and the automatic swinging guard and lock or latch are used in practically the same form and operating in the same relative manner.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupling, the combination,with a pivoted coupling-hook having a rear extension behind its pivot, of a bent or hooked guard pivoted thereto, and means, substantially as described, for locking them when closed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a pivoted coupling hook and a movable guard, of `a hinged latch adapted to engage and lock the hook and guard when the device is coupled, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

IOO

IIO

3. In a car-coupling, the hook B, pivoted in In testimony whereof we affix our signatures the draw-head, and formed with a rearwardlyin presence of' two Witnesses.` .i extending arm, C, in combination with the movable guard D, and means for locking them JOHN GOED'IEL. l closed, substantially as and for the purpose `WILLIAM F. HOWE. set forth.

4. In a car-coupling, the hook B C, provided with the spring b, in combination with l the hinged guard D and latch e, and means, i substantially as described7 for lifting this latch from the top or side of the car, as and for `the purpose set forth.

Witnesses:

EDWIN GRIBBLE, C. A. MONEALE.

*Witnesses as to Win. F. Howe:

W. G.\MOARTHUR, CHAs. KnnssMANN. 

